The Woman Next Door by Cass Green is a dark psychological thriller about two women who become unlikely partners in crime when they collude to conceal a murder.
Hester is a widow. We first encounter her in the library where she is learning to use computers. She talks to herself and she’s clearly a bit eccentric. She has a distorted view of the world and her stream of consciousness quickly shows that she’s not a likeable character. She’s needy and she always sees the worst in people but, in many ways, she’s her own worst enemy.
Hester and Melissa are neighbours. Melissa is married. Her husband is a successful doctor and they have a teenage daughter, Tilly.
On the surface Melissa’s life seems comfortable but secrets from the past are a threat to her peace of mind. And, when a visitor turns up at Tilly’s birthday party, it seems those secrets are about to spill. Events take a dark turn and the first part of the novel culminates in a shocking manner.
Cass Green draws believable characters
By the end of Part 1, Cass Green has established a nice bond between Melissa and Hester that’s destined to last a very long time indeed.
There are a lot of things to like about The Woman Next Door. Cass Green draws believable characters and it is easy for the reader to understand why they do what they do.
Hester and Melissa both make bad decisions but there’s a satisfying inevitability to the way that the story unfolds and there are some good twists and surprises along the way.
The chapters lead nicely into each other and Cass Green sustains a good pace throughout.
All in all, The Woman Next Door is an easy and entertaining page turner. It should appeal if you enjoy an unreliable narrator and a good, dark yarn
The Woman Next Door by Cass Green is a Harper Collins ebook.
Disclosure: I received an ARC via Netgalley for the purpose of this review.